Dying Summer | JJ Maybank

(11)

"Rafe and Kelce followed me–" JJ was telling Pope a story when Kiara interrupted him.

"Wait, do you guys hear that?" Kiara looks around the van then outside.

"What?" They both respond.

"Please, somebody help!" Sarah is heard faintly.

They scramble to get out as JJ replies, "Oh, wait, no I hear that."

They run out of the van, almost forgetting to close the sliding door and make their way through the entrance and towards the clearing where Sarah is crying over an unconscious John B.

"Sarah! What happened?" Pope asks once they get close enough. JJ sprints to get a closer look at his best friend.

Sarah responds through sobs, "I don't know what to do. He needs help, Topper shoved him."

JJ looks around to find the asshole, "Where the hell is he?"

"Oh, please just get help, I don't care who. Just call someone." Sarah says still staring at the unconscious

JJ looks to Pope and starts pushing him, "Go, go!."

"I got it!" He yells while the turns and makes a break for the van.

"Pope hurry!"

JJ looks around for anyone whose around and remembers that John B didn't come alone. He swears under his breath then questions a crying Sarah, "Hey, Hey! Where's Val?"

Sarah looks up at him and her eyes widen, JJ doesn't like that look, "Umm, fuck, he's still up there," JJ starts backing up as she cries more and adds, "Oh my god! He's still up there! Topper attacked him first!"

JJ nods and starts running towards the stairs that lead up to the porch. He skips steps as he yells, "Val?" multiple times.

He cuts himself off when he sees the other boy laying on the wooden deck, facing away from him.

"Val?" he lowers the sound of his voice and crouches down next to him. He gets a small groan in return and JJ turns him over to reveal his bloody and bruised face. "Fuckin' Topper." JJ mutters as he adjusts himself so he can put Val's head on his lap, and brushes his hair out of the bloody mess.

Val groans the blond's name and slightly shifts his head into JJ's lap. "You're okay V." JJ whispers with tears.

He looked back towards the direction that Pope ran and yelled with a crack in his voice, "Pope! Come on!" causing Val to groan.

JJ sits with Val, for what seems like forever, just holding his head and watching his chest move up and down with his breath.

JJ feels a haze over his vision as he watches Val being lifted onto a stretcher and carried off to the ambulance. He walks down the steps slowly as the vehicle turns on it's flashing lights and begins its speed to St. Olives.

***

Val wakes up with pain stabbing him in his face and his ribs. He looks around trying to spot a certain blond and his friends but sighs in defeat when his mother and father come into view with disappointed looks on their faces.

"Hi." He says softly, hoping to save the stern talking to for after his headache subsides.

"What the hell were you thinking?" His mother starts off, louder than needed, "I had a great conversation with Mrs.Thornton this morning about your great adventure last night." He groans and puts a hand over the uninjured side of his face.